Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested Tomahawk missiles from U.S. President Donald Trump in a private meeting, according to The Telegraph. The United States is reportedly "open" to the request, which would extend Ukraine's striking capability to Moscow. This development occurs as Russia appears to be experiencing a critical shortage of surface-to-air missiles, forcing the reassignment of air defense crews to infantry roles due to a lack of interceptors. Ukrainian military officials have announced the creation of assault troops, described as a defense breakdown with a mobile reserve, in response to a new tactic employed by Russian forces. This strategic shift by Ukraine comes as Russia's air defense systems are reportedly being fielded with minimal missile loads, indicating a significant depletion of interceptors. Further context from a previous report on September 26th, 2025, indicated that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced U.S. President Donald Trump informed him "the floodgates" of American weapons to Ukraine are open, with a $2 billion package approved and an additional $10 billion pending. Additionally, analysis from earlier on September 26th, 2025, suggested that Russia's stockpiles of Buk missiles may be severely depleted. This explanation was offered by Maxim Kalashnikov, who cited conversations with air defense personnel who have transitioned from operating Buk systems to infantry roles due to their current inoperability. Earlier on September 26th, 2025, President Zelenskyy had also invited U.S. Senator J.D. Vance to visit Ukraine, remarking that Vance "can be a good friend of Ukraine." This invitation followed reports of Russian strategic aviation activity, including at least three Tu-95MS aircraft in the air and potential launches of ballistic weapons from Kursk. In other related news from September 26th, 2025, Iran and Russia's state-owned nuclear energy company, Rosatom, signed a significant $25 billion agreement to construct four nuclear power plants in Iran. President Zelenskyy also reiterated his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin is deceiving President Trump, who Zelenskyy feels understands Putin is "playing games" with him. This statement coincided with a drone strike on the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar region.
